PJFSC Services
A-Z Implementation Program
Gap Analysis – Initial Visit
The very first step in preparing for certification to a food safety standard is to conduct an assessment of how closely the company meets the requirements. Our food safety expert will typically spend three days at your company. During this time, our expert will review existing Food Safety/Quality Manuals and HACCP plans. He/she will also do a thorough walk-through and analysis of the facility utilizing a checklist to identify where the company currently meets the requirements. Our expert will also note where the company does not meet the requirements. The comment section of the checklist or gap report will identify the action the company needs to take to be in conformance to the food safety standard they are seeking certification.
An assessment of existing plant operating, quality and inspection procedures, including the supporting forms and instructions is conducted. This will also include a review of floor plan(s), evaluations and specifications. A determination will be made to assess the need for additional procedures and forms.
An evaluation of prerequisite requirements is performed as follows but is not limited to:
- Adequate facilities including the building(s), outside property, sanitary facilities and water quality.
- Receiving and storage facilities for raw materials, ingredients and packaging materials.
- Equipment design, performance and maintenance.
- Training programs encompassing manufacturing, hygienic practices and controlled access.
- Sanitation and pest control programs.
- Health and safety recall procedures.
An assessment of the identification of the biological, chemical and physical food hazards is conducted in accordance with the Regulations and Good Practices, to determine the critical control points in the process.
Review the HACCP Program
Review of your HACCP Plan in accordance with CODEX to include:
- HACCP Team Product description and intended use.
- Process flow diagram and plant schematics.
- On-site verification of flow diagram and plant schematics.
- A list of hazards and preventive measures.
- The HACCP decision tree that determines critical control points.
- The critical limits at each control point.
- The monitoring procedures.
- The deviation procedures.
- The verification procedures.
- Record keeping and documentation describing the plan.
- Verification of the HACCP Plan.
* Our expert will also be collecting the necessary information in order to develop a Food Safety Manual draft.
At the end of the gap analysis, our food safety expert will meet with the management team to discuss the findings.
*Deliverable – Gap Report
Documentation Preparation and Closing-Out the Action Items
One of the most difficult and time consuming task in preparing for certification is developing a food safety manual. The manual must be in the framework of the standard as well as meet all of the requirements, section by section.
An SQF 2000 Edition will include for example:
- Executive Summary
- SQF Team
- HACCP Plans
- Company Policy
- Procedures and Quality Plan (level 3)
- Records
- Forms
A typical food safety manual will be 400-500 pages.
After the gap analysis, our food safety expert will begin preparing a draft of the food safety manual. We call this a draft because the manual is incomplete until the company addresses the findings identified in the gap analysis.
While our food safety expert is developing the manual (off-site), the Food Safety Team Leader/Practitioner at the company will implement the findings found during the audit.
*when this service is contracted for…
Approximately six weeks following the gap analysis, the company will receive the Food Safety Manual Draft
*Deliverable – Food Safety Draft Manual
Implementation Visit
Once the food safety draft manual has been received and the company has reviewed it and implemented findings determined from the gap assessment, our food safety expert will return to assist in addressing any findings yet to be closed out by the company.
This is typically a two day visit.
Conduct an Internal Audit/Closure Visit
All GFSI Standards require that the company complete a full review of their entire system prior to the actual certification audit. This includes a full system internal audit and a management review.
Once your system is in place, our food safety expert will conduct an internal audit, conduct a management review and address the findings, preparing you for your certification audit.
This is typically a three or four day visit.
*Deliverable – Report
